


The Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers (Re-imagined)

by Creed_Nation



Series: The Lord of The Rings Trilogy (Re-imagined) [2]
Category: Cats - Andrew Lloyd Webber, Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats - T. S. Eliot, The Lord of the Rings (Movies)
Genre: Gen, Post-Apocalypse Europe, WW1-style Post-Apocalypse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-30
Updated: 2020-11-20
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:07:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 13,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26623405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Creed_Nation/pseuds/Creed_Nation
Summary: After the Fellowship split, Demeter and Bombalurina make their way to Mordor, being guided by Gollum, who has plans of his own regarding the Ring of Power. All the while, Kyle, Alonzo, and Rum Tum Tugger go into the kingdom of Prussia to save Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer and see the defeat of Macavity as the first blow to Sauron's global conquest.
Relationships: Jemima (Cats)/Original Character(s)
Series: The Lord of The Rings Trilogy (Re-imagined) [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1896154
Kudos: 3





	1. Chapter 1

_Italian Alps, February 13, 1918 JEFE (Jellicle Era of Free England) or 3001 of the Ninth Age_

Demeter and Bombalurina made their way down the rope they used to get to the bottom of a cliff.

"Can you see the bottom yet?" Bomba asked.

Demeter looked down. "No, not yet. Don't look down, Bomba. Keep going."

Bomba felt the rope jerk and a small box fell of her bag. "Dee, catch it!"

Demeter caught it, but lost her grip and fell. She hit the bottom which was just five feet from where she slipped.

"I found the bottom."

Bomba came down soon after.

"What's in this?"

"Nothing but seasoning, you know. Like if we ever happen to have roast chicken or something like that."

"Roast chicken?"

"You never know."

Demeter chuckled as she opened the box.

"It's special. The best salt you'll ever see in England."

"Yeah. It is special. A little bit of home."

Demeter closed it and gave it back to Bomba.

Later, they came to a clearing and saw the lights of Mordor still only on the horizon.

"Mordor," Bomba said. "The one place on the planet we don't want to be anywhere near; the one place we're trying to get to, but seems impossible. I don't think Mistoffolees meant for us to come this way."

"There are many things that Misto didn't mean to happen," Demeter replied. "But they did." She suddenly felt a strange heaviness on her as she felt Sauron grasp her presence.

"Dee, you okay?" Bomba asked. "It's the Ring, isn't it?"

"It's getting heavier. What food do we have left?"

"Well, let's see." Bomba sat down and pulled something. "Elven bread. And look, even more Elven bread." She broke a piece and tossed it to Demeter. "I don't normal enjoy foreign food, but this Elven food isn't bad."

"Nothing dampers your spirit, does it, Bomba?"

Bomba looked to the west and sighed. "Another storm is coming."

The next day, they fought through the snow packs that were on the mountains.

"Correct me if I'm wrong," Bomba said. "But does this spot look familiar?"

"Because we've been here before," Demeter said. "We're going in circles."

Bomba smelled the air. "There's an strange smell in the air, like some kind of creature's body odor. Can you smell it?"

"Yeah, I smell it. I don't think we're alone here."

"So, what do we do?"

"I have an idea."

***

Later that night, they slept in a cavern and something watched them, hissing.

"They're thieves," he said as he made is way down. "They're filthy, little thieves. Where is it? Where is it? They stole it from us. My Precious. Curse them. We hates them. It's our, it is, and we wants it."

The two Jellicles leapt at him and pulled him down. He saw the Ring on Demeter's neck and tried to take it. Bomba pulled him away, but he struck her across the face. He leapt of the sides of the cavern and leapt on Demeter. Bomba picked him up, but he bit her neck, making her scream. He gripped her throat, but Demeter placed Sting on his neck.

"This is Sting," Demeter said. "You've seen it before, haven't you? Gollum. Release her or I will cut your throat."

He let Bomba go and wield in defeat.

***

Gollum shrieks echoed in the caverns as Bomba pulled on the rope around his neck as she pulled him through the snow.

"It burns!" he shouted. "It burns us! It freezes! Nasty Elves twisted it! Take it off us!"

"Shut up!" Bomba shouted.

Gollum shrieked.

"It's hopeless. Ever Orc in Mordor will hear him coming from miles away. Let's just tie him up and leave him."

"No!" Gollum shouted. "That would kill us! Kill us!"

"It's no more than you deserve."

"Maybe he does deserve to die," Demeter said as Gollum rolled on the ground. "Though now that I see, I really do pity him."

Gollum, hearing this, got on his knees. "We be nice to them if they be nice to us. Take it off us! We swears to do what you wants. We swears."

"There is no promise you can make that I can trust."

"We swears to serve the master of the Precious. We swears on... on the Precious." He coughed his name twice.

"The Ring is treacherous. It will, however, hold you to your word."

"Yes, on the Precious. On the Precious."

Demeter walked up to Gollum. "You know the way to Mordor, yes?"

"Yes."

"You've been there before, yes?"

"Yes!"

Demeter removed the rope. "You will lead us to the Black Gate."

Gollum hurried through the cavern.

"To the gate, to the gate, to the gate Master says. No, we won't go back, not there, not him, they can't make us. Gollum. Gollum. But we swore to serve the Master of the Precious. No, ashes and dust and there is and pits, pits, pits, and Orcses, thousands of Orcses, and always great eye watching, watching!" He noticed the Jellicles nearby. "This way, Jellicles. Follow me."

"You sure we can trust him?" Bomba asked.

"Only one way to find out," Demeter said.


	2. Chapter 2

_November 21, 1917 JEFE or 3000 of the Ninth Age_

The horde of Orcs carried Jerrie and Teazer across the border into Prussia where they met up with more Orcs. Teazer was concerned for her brother, as Jerrie appeared to be unconscious.

One of the Orcs began to sniff the air.

"What is it?" said another Orc. "What do you smell?"

"Man flesh!" the Orc answered.

"Kyle," Teazer whispered as she made a small smile.

"They've followed our trail," the Orc said. "Move, double time."

As the horde moved on, Teazer removed the leaf on her cloak with her mouth and spit it on the ground.

***

Kyle was laying on the ground, listening.

"Their pace has quicken," he said and got up. "They know we're following them. Hurry!"

Alonzo heard him and called out to Tugger a few yards back. "Come on, Tugger."

"Three days nonstop," Tugger told himself. "No food or rest. This'll be the death of me, for sure."

After a few miles, Kyle found a leaf on the ground. It was the same one on their cloaks.

"Not idle, do the leaves of Lorian fail," he whispered.

"So, they could be alive still," Alonzo said.

"Their at least less than a day ahead. Come on."

Tugger tripped down a hill just behind them.

"Come on, Tugger," Alonzo shouted. "We're gaining on them."

"I haven't gone running across country in years," Tugger said. "I just need to refresh my memory."

They reach the top of a hill and saw a huge open plain before them.

"Prussia," Kyle said. "The kingdom trapped in time. Some great evil has cursed these people and left them behind the time, as the world progresses in technological evolution."

Alonzo ran ahead.

"Alonzo!" Kyle shouted. "What do your Elf eyes see?"

"Munich City in the northeast," he replied. "They're taking them to Isengard."

"Macavity," Kyle whispered.

They headed north, in the direction of the Orc horde going to Isengard.

***

The horde stopped that night at the Black Forest, which had grown beyond the western portion of Germany to most of the southern German region undisturbed.

"We ain't more another mile until we've had a breather," an Orc said, panting on his knees.

"Get a fire started," the horde leader commanded.

Teazer crawled over the Jerrie, who had woken up.

"Hey, sister," he said. "You will not believe the dream I've had."

"You're okay," Teazer said with a sigh.

"What? Was there something I missed?"

They heard a groaning noise from the forest.

"What is that noise?" Teazer asked.

"It's the trees," Jerrie said.

"The what?"

"You remember hearing the tales about the Black Forest in the southern part of Germany? Folk use to say there was something in the woods after the world restarted that made the forest expand territory and made the trees grow taller and come alive."

"Alive?"

"Trees that can whisper, talk to each other. Even move."

The Orcs began to complain about what to eat, as the food they've been eating was boring them. Some wanted to eat Jerrie and Teazer, but horde leader would have none of it.

"My order from Macavity were clear," he said. "The Jellicles go to him, alive and unspoiled. For they have something, an Elvish weapon to win the war to come."

"They think we have the Ring?" Teazer whispered.

"Quiet!" Jerrie whispered back. "Once they realize we don't have it, we're dead anyway."

An Orc leaped behind to kill them, but horde leader decapitated his head.

"Seems like meat's back on the menu, boys," he said.

The horde roared as they dug in; however, they're joy was cut short as a large cavalry of Prussian stormed the horde, killing all in sight.

***

As the sun rose in the east, Alonzo noticed something.

"When the red sun rises," he said. "Blood has been spilt this night."

They came to an open field. Kyle stopped and felt the ground. He lead Alonzo and Tugger to a group of rocks nearby, seeing a cavalry of Prussian riding by.

"Riders of Prussia!" Kyle shouted after coming out. "What news from Vienna?"

The cavalry rode back and surrounded them, spears pointed at them.

"Woah, hey, is this necessary?" Kyle asked.

"What business does a man and two Jellicles have in Prussia?" asked the cavalry leader. "Speak quickly."

"Give me your name, horse master," Tugger replied. "And I'll give you mine."

Kyle rolled his eyes as the cavalryman got off his horse.

"If I wasn't a patient man, I cut your head off right now."

Alonzo pulled an arrow onto his bow. "You'd be dead before your stroke fell!"

Kyle lowered Alonzo's bow and Tugger let out a breath of relief.

"My name is Kyle O'Connell of the Westlands," he said. "This is Rum Tum Tugger of the Dwarves and Alonzo of the Canadian Realm of the Woodland Elves. We are friends of Prussia and your king, Nicholas von Hassel."

"Nicholas doesn't recognizes friend from foe," the cavalryman said as he removed his helmet. "Not even his own kin. Macavity has poisoned the king's mind and claimed lordship of these lands. Me and my company here are loyal to Prussia; for that, we have been banished. He's a Jellicle from England who made Germany his domain and is as red as the dough of a velvet cake. He walks here and there, some say; and everywhere his spies slip through are nets."

"We aren't spies," Kyle said. "We were tracking a horde of Orc all the way back from the Rhine to here."

"We came across them and disposed of them in the night."

"They had two Jellicles with them," Tugger said. "Did you see two Jellicles there?"

"Their fur were yellow with brown and black stripes," Kyle said.

"We left none alive," the cavalryman said. "We gathered the remains and burned them."

"They're dead?" Tugger asked.

"I'm sorry," he said. Sighing, he whistled and two horses came to him. "Take these horses. You'll cover more ground with them." He mounted his horse. "Find your friends, but don't trust in hope. Apparently, it's forsaken in this land. We ride west!"

With that, the cavalry moved on and the Fellowship continued on there way.

They came across the burnt pail and searched the area.

"Look," Tugger said as he pulled out something. "It's Teazer's belt. I recognize the design."

Kyle kicked a helmet and shouted as he fell on his knees.

"We failed them," Tugger said.

As he laid on the ground, Kyle noticed something.

"One of them was here," he said as he surveyed the ground. "And the other here. They crawled. Their hands where bound." He found a pair of severed rope. "They cut them. They ran. They were followed. The tracks lead away from the battle and into the Black Forest."

"The Black Forest?" Tugger asked. "What would make them want to go in there?"

***

As the raid continued back outside the forest, Jerrie and Teazer hurried as the Orc followed them.

"Up a tree," Jerrie said.

Teazer went up first and Jerrie followed. He looked and couldn't see the Orc.

"I think we lost him."

Suddenly, the Orc pulled Jerrie down to the ground.

"Jerrie!" Teazer shouted.

She heard groaning, turned, and saw eyes in the tree she was in. She shrieked and fell, but the tree caught her in its hand. It smashed the Orc under its foot and caught Jerrie with its other hand. It spoke in a strange language.

"It's talking, Jerrie," Teazer said in fear. "The tree is talking"

"Tree?" it said. "I am no tree. I'm an Ent."

"A tree herder," Jerrie said. "A shepherd of the forest."

"Don't talk to it," Teazer said. "Don't encourage it."

"Treebeard some call me," it said.

"And whose side are you on?"

"Side? I'm on no ones side, cause nobody is on my side, little Orcs. Nobody cares for the woods anymore."

"We're not Orcs," Jerrie said. "We're Jellicles."

"Jellicles? Never heard of a Jellicle before." Treebeard grunted and tightened his grip around them. "Feels like Orc lies to me. They come with fire, they come with axes. Gnawing, biting, breaking, hacking, and burning. Destroyers and inserters. Curse them!"

"No, you don't understand," Jerrie said. "We're Jellicles. Skin-changers. English folk."

"Maybe you are and maybe you're not. The white wizard will know."

"White wizard?" Teazer asked.

"You mean Macavity?" Jerrie asked.

They fell to the ground and stared at the white wizard, but was someone they didn't expect.


	3. Chapter 3

_March 14, 1918 JEFE or 3001 of the Ninth Age_

Gollum led Demeter and Bomba through the rocks and snow to an open area and they could see the lights of Mordor were closer now then ever before.

"See?" Gollum said. "See? We've led you out. Hurry, Jellicles, hurry! Very lucky we found you."

When they reached an ice covered plain, Bomba's foot fell through the ice, but moved fast so she didn't fall completely into the water. She noticed there was some brown, murky substance on her foot.

"It's a bog," she said. "He's led us into a frozen swamp."

"A swamp, yes," Gollum said. "Frozen, yes. Come, master. We will take you on safe path on the ice. Come, Jellicles. We go quickly. I found it. I did. The way over the marches. In summer, Orcs travel around for miles and miles. In the long, cold winters, we can use ice to our advantage. Save time, yes. Come, come. Soft and quick as shadows we must."

They soon got caught in another snow storm.

"How could anyone live here?" Bomba asked as she ate some of the Elven bread. "It snows almost everyday here. I love to hear anything but the wind howling, like bird songs."

"No, no birdses to eat," Gollum said. "No crunchable birdses been in these parts in long time. We are famished. Yes! famished we are, Precious."

"Here," Demeter said as she handed Gollum some of the bread.

"What does it eat? Is it tasty?" He chewed the bread and started to cough. "It tries to choke us! We can't eat Jellicle food! We must starve!"

"Starve then," Bomba said. "It will do my ears some good for silence from you."

"Oh, cruel Jellicle. It does not care if we go hungry. Does not care if we should die." He stared at Demeter, like one hypnotized by her eyes. "Not like master. Master cares. Master knows. Yes, Precious."

Demeter placed her hand on the Ring.

"Once it takes hold of us... it never lets go." Gollum slowly reached a hand out.

"Don't touch me!" Demeter said harshly, as she grabbed Gollum's wrist. She sighed, loosen her grip, and gently moved Gollum's hand away. "Please."

***

When the storm turned into a gentle snow fall, they continued on their way. Bomba noticed the face of a man in a strange green uniform under the ice. She then saw another in a gray uniform. Then there were more and more.

"There are dead things!" she said in shock. "Dead faces under the ice!"

"All dead," Gollum said. "All rotten. Hundreds of thousands of Men. A great campaign in this land millenniums ago. The Gothic Line. Yes, yes. That was the name of it. Come. Don't follow the lights."

The ice cracked and Bomba quickly moved.

"Careful now!" Gollum said. "Or Jellicles go down to join the dead ones and lights little candles of their own."

As Bomba followed Gollum, Demeter noticed one of the dead beneath the ice. The dead body wore a black uniform with medals on its chest and a red banner on its right upper arm with a strange x in a white circle. As she saw the eyes open, white and devilish, she fell through the ice and into the cold water below. She saw a ghostly figure reaching for her, screaming. She felt a hand grab her shoulder and pull her out.

"Gollum?" she said as she looked at her rescuer.

"Don't follow the lights," he repeated.

"Dee!" Bomba said. "Come on. You need to get out of those clothes and get warm by a fire."

Bomba began to remove Demeter's wet, cold clothes and threw a red band with a white circle and black x from her hand into the water. As it floated, a decayed hand slowly dragged it under and the ice formed over the water.

***

Later in the night, Demeter, now warm under a blanket, ran her finger on the Ring, over and over. She heard a voice, put it away, and stared at Gollum.

"So bright," he said. "So beautiful. Our Precious."

"What did you say?" Demeter asked.

"Master should be resting. Master needs to regain her strength."

Demeter got up and stood over Gollum. "Who are you?"

"Mustn't ask us, not her business. Gollum. Gollum."

"Mistoffolees told me you were one of the river-folk of Brighton in England."

"Cold be heart and hand and bone, cold be travelers far from home."

"He said your life was a sad story."

"They do not see what lies ahead, when sun has failed and moon is dead."

"You were not so different from a Jellicle once, were you?" She sat down next to him. "Were you? Munkustrap."

Gollum's diameter changed as he looked up into Demeter's eyes. "What did you call me?"

"That was your name once, wasn't it? A long time ago."

"My name? My name?" He showed a struggle to remember and he smiled. "Munkustrap."

A screeching sound echoed over the frozen marsh, that woke Bomba from her sleep.

"Black rider!" she said.

"Hide!" Gollum shouted. "Hide! Quickly!"

Demeter felt the pain in her shoulder and Bomba carried her under a dead butch.

"I thought they were dead," Bomba said.

"Dead?" Gollum said. "No, you cannot kill them. No."

Just then, something flew over them.

"Wraiths!" Gollum exclaimed. "Wraiths on wings."

Demeter heard the Ring speak to her and she crumbled for it.

"They are calling for it," Gollum said. "They are calling for the Precious!"

Bomba noticed and stopped Demeter, holding her hands. "Dee, it's all right. It's all right."

The Wraith flew over two more times and left.

"Hurry, Jellicles," Gollum said, looking up to be sure the Wraith was gone. "We have much more ground to cover, but the Black Gate is closer now then before."


	4. Chapter 4

_November 23, 1917 JEFE or 3000 of the Ninth Age_

Tugger saw some black substance on a leaf. He ran his finger in it, tasted it, and spat it out of his mouth. "It's Orc blood."

Kyle examined the ground. "These are some strange tracks. I don't know what kind of creature would make them."

"The air is so cold in here," Tugger muttered to himself.

"This forest is old," Alonzo said. "Very old. Full of memory and anger."

A loud groaning sound echoed around them.

"The trees are whispering to each other," Alonzo said.

Kyle turned and saw Tugger with his axe raised. "Tugger, lower your axe."

Tugger lowered it.

"They have feeling, my friend," Alonzo said. "The Elves began it. Waking up the trees, teaching them to speak."

"Talking Tree?" Tugger asked. "What do trees have to talk about, except for the thought of squirrel dropping?"

Alonzo turned and said, "Caol, something's out there."

"What do you see?" Kyle asked.

"A white wizard approaches."

Kyle breathed slowly. "Don't let him speak or he'll put a spell on us." He had his right hand on his sword and left one on his pistol.

Alonzo and Tugger had their weapons readied.

"We must be quick."

They turned around as a bright light appeared. Before they could do anything, their weapons turned to fire and they dropped them, the fire disappearing.

"You are on the path of two Jellicles," a voice from the light said.

"Where are they?" Kyle demanded.

"They past this way, the day before yesterday. They met someone they didn't expect. Does that comfort you?"

"Who are you?"

No response.

"SHOW YOURSELF!"

Out of the light, a Jellicle with white fur in a white tuxedo stepped forward. In his hands was a staff, but his face was of someone they knew.

"It can't be," Kyle said in shock. "We saw you fall."

"Through fire and water," the wizard said. "From the lowest dungeon to the highest peak of Switzerland, I fought the balrog of the Underworld until I smote him down and sent his remains down on the mountain side. Darkness took me and strayed from thought and time. Stars flashed over and every day was like a lifetime on the earth. But it was not the end. I had died, yes, but I was given a new Jellicle life. I came back until my task was done."

"Mistoffolees?" Kyle asked.

"Ah, yes," the wizard said. "That's what I was called. Mistoffolees, the conjuring wizard. That was my name. I am Mistoffolees the White and I come back to you now, at the turn of the tide. One stage of your journey is over, another begins. We must travel to Vienna with great speed."

"Vienna?" Tugger asked. "Definitely not a small distance from here."

"We've been told of trouble here in Prussia," Kyle said. "It goes ill with the king, Nicholas van Hassel."

"Yes," Mistoffolees said. "And it won't be something so easily cured."

"Then we have run all this way for nothing," Tugger complained. "Now we are to leave Jerrie and Teazer in this dark, dank, tree infested-"

The trees began to groan.

"I mean, charming. Quite charming forest."

"It was more than chance that brought them here," Mistoffolees said. "A great power has awoken here after many long years. Their coming will be like small rocks, that are later followed by an avalanche on a mountain."

"And you speak in riddle still," Kyle said.

Mistoffolees chuckled. "A thing is about to happen that hasn't been since the olden days. The Ents will soon wake up and find they are strong."

"Strong?" Tugger asked. "Well, that's good to know."

"So stop your gamboling, Rum Tum Tugger. Jerrie and Teazer are quite safe; in fact, they are safer than you're about to be."

Tugger scoffed. "The new Mistoffolees is more grumpy than the old one."

When they reached the edge of the forest, Mistoffolees whistled a loud note into the air. A white horse galloped toward him.

"That is one of the mearas unless my eyes are deceiving me," Alonzo said.

"Shadowfax," Mistoffolees said as he stroke the horse's mane. "He's the lord of all horses and has been my friend through many dangers."

They began their long journey to Vienna. Later in the night, they stopped to rest. Kyle and Mistoffolees stood together, staring at the lights of Mordor on the horizon.

"The veiling shadow in the south takes shape," Mistoffolees said. "Sauron will suffer no rival. On the plains of Pompeii, his eye watches, tirelessly, but he is not so mighty yet that he is above fear. Doubt ever nulls at him. A rumor has reached him, that the heir to Henry Victor Augustus still lives. Sauron fears you, Kyle. He fears what you will become and he will strike hard on the world of Men. He will use Macavity to destroy Prussia. War is coming. Prussia must defend itself and therein lies our first challenge, for Prussia is weak and ready to fall. The king's mind is enslaved, it now a devise of Macavity's. He hold of the Prussian king is strong. Sauron and Macavity are tightening the noose. Yet even so, we still have one advantage. The Ring remains hidden and we should seek to destroy it, has yet to enter their darkest dreams. And the Ring is being taken back to the fires of Vesuvius by the hands of a young Jellicle. We must now trust in Demeter to finish what we started. Don't regret your decision to leave her. Demeter must finish this task alone."

"She's not alone," Kyle said. "Bomba went with her."

"She did? Good. Yes, very good."


	5. Chapter 5

_March 28, 1918 JEFE or 3001 of the Ninth Age_

"There it is," Gollum said as he stared at the wall from a nearby slope. "The Black Gate of Mordor."

"Oh, save me," Bomba whispered as she leaned over the edge. Demeter leaned near her. "My dear friend, Electra, would have a thing or two to say if she could see us now."

"Master says to show her the way to Mordor," Gollum said. "So, good Munkustrap does, master says so."

"Yes, I did," Demeter whispered.

"This does raise a question," Bomba said. "What do we do now? We can't just walk through it."

Just then, a voice echoed in the valley and a legion of soldiers marched toward the gate, which slightly opened for the legion to walk into Mordor.

"Look!" Bomba exclaimed. "The door is opening." She looked down the edge. "I see a way down."

CRACK!

The rock Bomba laid on broke loose and she fell down the edge. Demeter hurried down the edge and noticed two of the legion soldiers look toward the edge. Demeter reached Bomba, who had sunk into the ground to her chest, and covered each other under her cloak. They waited for the soldiers to leave. Once they did, Bomba changed into her cat form and changed back, free from the rocks.

"I do not ask you to come with me, Bomba," Demeter said as she readied herself to enter the gates.

"I know, Dee," Bomba replied. "I doubt even these Elvish cloaks will hide us in there."

Demeter breathed. "Now!"

Before they moved, Gollum pulled them back. "No! No, master! They catch you! They catch you!"

Demeter tried to go again, but Gollum again stopped her.

"Don't take it to him!" he begged. "He wants the Precious. Always, he is, looking for it. And the Precious is wanting to go back to him. But we mustn't let him have it."

As the gate began to close, Demeter tried again to head for the gates. Gollum stopped her again.

"No! There's another way. More secret. A dark way."

"And why you haven't told us before?" Bomba asked.

"Because master did not ask," Gollum replied.

"Wait," Demeter said. "Are you telling us you know another way into Mordor?"

"Yes. There's a path, some stairs, and then a tunnel."

Demeter looked back at the gate, now closed up.

"He's lead us this far, Bomba," Demeter said. "Has he not been true to his word thus far?"

Bomba sighed. "Yes, but he still has yet to win any trust from me."

"There may be time for him to do so. Lead the way, Munkustrap."

Gollum nodded. "Good Munkustrap always helps."

***

_November 25, 1917 JEFE or 3000 of the Ninth Age_

"There it is," Mistoffolees said as he pointed out the city on the hill a mile away. "Vienna, the capital of Prussia. And there at the top of it all, the Golden Hall of William the Valiant, the Prussian king who overthrew Frederick the Tyrant over five centuries ago. Now, it is the throne room of Nicholas, whose mind is under the control of Macavity. Before we go any further, I need to explain a few things: you must be careful of what you say and not to expect a welcoming from anyone."

When they reached the gate, Kyle noticed the Prussian flag on the ground nearby and began to wonder where it came from.

"Boy, you'd find more cheer in a graveyard," Tugger said as they rode through the bleak and quiet streets.

Once they reached the hall, a group of armor plated men stood in front of the door.

"I cannot allow you before King Nicholas so armed," the commander said. "By order of Sillabub von Morgenstern."

They gave their weapons to the soldiers.

"Your staff, too."

"Oh, no," Mistoffolees said. "You would not part an old Jellicle from his walking stick, now would you?"

The commander sighed and nodded. He lead them into the hall and into Nicholas's throne room. Nicholas sat on his throne, with Sillabub sited on his right hand.

"It is Mistoffolees, the conjuring wizard," Sillabub whispered into Nicholas's ear. "My lord, he's a herald of woe."

"The courtesy of your ancestor's hall has somewhat lessened of late, Nicholas von Hassel."

"He's not welcomed here," Sillabub whispered.

"Why should I welcome you, Mistoffolees of Yorkshire?" Nicholas asked in a raspy voice.

"A just question," Sillabub said as she rose from her chair and walked toward Mistoffolees. "Late is the hour in which this conjuror chooses to appear. Lots spell I name him, ill news is an ill guest.'

"Shut up and keep your tongue tight in your mouth," Mistoffolees said. "I haven't passed through fire and death to bandy crude words with a witless worm."

Sillabub backed as she noticed the staff. "You idiots, I told you to take the wizard's staff."

Soldiers rushed forward, but Kyle, Alonzo, and Tugger fought them off, as Mistoffolees moved toward Nicholas.

"Nicholas, son of Alexander," Mistoffolees said. "Too long have you sat in the shadows of time."

Tugger penned Sillabub to a pillar. "I'd stay still if I were you."

"Harken to me," Mistoffolees said as he raised a hand. "I release you from the spell."

Nicholas began to laugh. "You have no power here, Mistoffolees."

"That's Mr. Mistoffolees to you, Macavity," Mistoffolees said as he threw off the gray cloak he wore and his white tuxedo glowed bright. "I will draw you out, Macavity, as poison is drawn from a wound."

Nicholas's body began to twist about, as if he was struck by lightning.

Kyle noticed a young woman run forward and he stopped her. "Wait."

"If I go, Nicholas dies," Macavity said as he spoke through Nicholas's mouth.

"You could not kill me," Mistoffolees said. "You will not kill him."

"Prussia is mine."

"BE GONE!" Mistoffolees lunged forward and struck Nicholas across the head.

In Isengard, Macavity slides across the floor and fear takes over his mind.

Nicholas moaned and groaned. The young woman rushed forward and grabs him before he falls out of the throne. His old wrinkled face began to change into the face of a man in his fifties with blonde hair. He looks at the woman who began to smile.

"I know your face," he said. "Cassandra." He looked up. "Mistoffolees?"

"Breathe the free air again, my friend," he said as he helped Nicholas up onto his feet.

"Dark have been my dreams of late," Nicholas said as he looked about his throne room and his hands.

"Your fingers would remember their old strength better if they grasped your sword."

Nicholas is handed his sword and he pulled it out, examining it. His gaze moves toward Sillabub. Moments later, Sillabub is thrown from the hall, rolling down the steps, and Nicholas slowly making his way down.

"I've only ever served you, my lord," Sillabub pleaded as she crawled her way down the steps.

"Your witchcraft would have me crawling on all fours like a beast," he said.

"Send me not from your sight."

Nicholas raised his sword, but Kyle stops him before he brings it down.

"No, my lord," Kyle says. "Let her go. Enough blood has been spilt on her account."

Kyle offers his hand to Sillabub, but she spits at it and runs away.

"Hail, Nicholas, king of Prussia," Kyle proclaimed to the crowd before him.

The people bow and Kyle does the same.

Nicholas looked at the hall and says, "Where is Ivan? Where is my son?"

***

Later that evening, clouds covered the skies and Nicholas looks at the last of the flowers still to pass before winter began.

"Edelweiss," Nicholas said. "Ever has it grown on the tombs of my fathers. Now it shall cover the grave of my son. Alas, that these evil days should be mine. The young perish and the old linger. That I should be the one to see the last days of my house."

"Ivan's death wasn't your doing," Mistoffolees said.

"No parent ought to bury their child." Nicholas fell to his knees and wept.

"He was strong in life. The angels of Glory will carry your son to his Eternal Home and there will he know no more pain."

Mistoffolees leaves Nicholas to mourn in peace. Before he passes the gate, he sees a snowflake fall.

"Seems winter has started early this year."

***

At the time the sun would be setting on the western horizon, the first of many winter blizzards roared through Vienna. In the stables, some men tried to calm a horse that was clearly disturbed. Kyle noticed, put down his horses saddle, and walked over to the horse.

"That horse is half mad, my lord," a stableman warned him. "There's nothing you can do. Leave him."

Kyle ignored him and had the men leave.

"Faeste, stille nu," he said in Elvish. "Faeste, stille nu. Lac is drefed, gefraegon." He removed the ropes on the horse, who began to calm down. "Hwaet, nemnao oe? Hwaet nemnao oe?"

"His name is Brego," Cassandra said. "He was my cousin's horse."

"Brego?" Kyle continued to speak to the horse. "Din nama is cynglic. Man le trasta, Brego? Man cenich?"

"I have heard of the magic of Elves, but I did not look for it in a Ranger from the Westlands. You speak like one of them."

"I spent my formative years in Rivendell before I went back to the Westlands. When winter is past, turn this fellow loose. He's seen enough of war."

Kyle leaves the stables, with the horse now calm and quiet.

***

Later in the night, Kyle sits on a chair in the flat he spends the first of many winter nights, his mind clouded with thoughts about Jemima. He soon falls asleep.

"The light of the Evenstar does not wax and wane," Jemima's voice says to him. "It is mine to give to whom I will. Like my heart. Go to sleep."

"I am asleep," Kyle muttered. He opened his eyes to see himself in Rivendell and Jemima standing in front of him. "Is this a dream?"

"If it is, it must be a good one." She kisses him. "Sleep."

Kyle's eyes close slightly as Jemima looks out over the landscape and looks back toward her.

"You told me once this day would come," he said in Elvish.

Jemima turned back and said, "This is not the end; it is only the beginning. You must go with Demeter. That is your path."

Kyle gets up, stands next to Jemima, and says, "My path is hidden from me."

"It is already laid before your feet. You cannot falter now."

"Jemima-"

She places her hand over his lips. "If you trust nothing else, trust this..." She touches the Evenstar. "...Trust us."

Kyle takes her hand in his and they kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need to point out that the Sillabub and Cassandra in this chapter are not the same characters from the musical, West End or Broadway, but are just references to the characters by name alone.


	6. Chapter 6

_Isengard_

Sillabub arrived in Isengard to find Macavity in disbelief.

"Mistoffolees the White?" Macavity muttered to himself. "More like Mistoffolees the Fool. Does he seem to humble me with his newfound piety?"

"There were three who followed the wizard," Sillabub said. "Two Jellicles and a man."

Macavity sniffed. "You stink of horse. The man. Was he from Britain?"

"No. A Ranger from the Westlands across the ocean. Or so I thought. I noticed that he wore a strange ring: two serpents with sapphire eyes, one devouring and the other crown in silver flowers."

Macavity looked through his books until he found the ring that Sillabub described.

"The ring of William David Augustus, the first king of Britain. So, Mistoffolees believes he has found Henry's heir; the lost king of Britain. He is a fool. The line was broken years ago. It matters not. The world of Men shall fall and a new era has begin."

***

_Vienna, March 27, 1918 JEFE or 3001 of the Ninth Age_

By the timing of the calendar, winter should have ended nearly a week ago. However, the snow was still on the ground and the air was as cold as ever. During that time, no word about Mordor or Isengard was heard by Europe. As Demeter and Bomba were continuing their journey throughout the winter, the rest of the Fellowship remained in Vienna until some news arose from the south.

In a banquet hall that was modified for a hall of entertainment, songs and plays were performed to keep the people's spirits high. Even Tugger had a song he performed from time to time (and it is at this point that you, the audience, can input your favorite performance of The Rum Tum Tugger that you love the most from the musical right here).

During one performance, two children from a Prussian village arrived in Vienna alone. They revealed that their village was attack by wild men and Orcs that bore the mark of Isengard.

"They had no warning," Cassandra revealed to Nicholas. "They were unarmed. Now, the wild men are moving through the West-fold, burning as they go."

"It is but a taste of what Macavity will unleash onto Prussia," Mistoffolees said. "More driven now by the terror of Sauron. You must ride out and meet him head on, draw him away from your women and children. You must fight."

"You have two thousand riding north as we speak," Kyle said. "Your nephew, Gregory, is loyal to you still and be willing to fight for you once they return."

"They'll be three hundred leagues from here by now," Nicholas said. "Gregory cannot help us."

Mistoffolees was about to speak before Nicholas cut him off.

"I know what you ask of me, but I will not bring further death to my people. I will not risk open war."

"Open war is upon you," Kyle said. "Whether you risk it or not."

"When last I looked, Nicholas von Hassel, not Kyle O'Connell, was king of Prussia."

"Then what is the king's decision?" Mistoffolees asked.

***

"By order of the king, the city most empty," a messenger spoke. "We make for the refuge at the fortress of Warsaw. Do not burden yourselves with treasures. Take what provisions you need."

"Warsaw?" Tugger asked as he, Mistoffolees, Kyle, and Alonzo made their way to the stables. "They flee to Poland, when they should stand and fight. Who will defend them if not their king?"

"He's only trying to do what he thinks is best for them," Kyle said. "Warsaw has saved them in the past."

"There is no way out of that valley," Mistoffolees said. "Nicholas is walking them into a trap, while believing that it is safety that lies there. In the aftermath, it is but a massacre. Nicholas has a strong will, but I fear for him. I fear for the survival of Prussia. He will need you before the end, Kyle. The people of Prussia will need you. The defenses have to hold."

"They will hold."

"The conjuring wizard; that is what they use to call me. I have lived the life of eight Jellicles and now time for me is running short." He got on Shadowfax. "Good luck. My search shall not be in vain. Look for my coming on the fifth day; at dawn, look to the east."

"Got it. Go!"

Mistoffolees rode out.

***

In the hall of William the Valiant, Cassandra, believing she was alone, took Nicholas's sword, ran her hand along the blade, and began to practice with it. She swung around and rammed it against another blade. She noticed Kyle standing there with a small knife with a row of sharp teeth on one side and a hook at the point.

"You have some skills with the blade," he said.

She quickly swings the sword round, releasing it from Kyle's knife.

"Wow!" Kyle exclaimed.

"Women of this country learned long ago," Cassandra said as she put the sword away in a chest. "Those without swords can still die upon them. I fear neither death nor pain."

"Then what do you fear, my lady?"

"A cage. To stay behind bars until use and old age accept them. And all chance of valor has gone beyond recall or desire."

"You are a daughter of kings, a shieldmaiden of Prussia. I do not think that would be your fate."

Kyle bows slightly and leaves.

***

_Somewhere in the Italian countryside_

While Demeter and Bomba slept, Gollum seemed to be in conversation with someone, though the naked eye could reveal no one else present.

"We wants it," he said. "We needs it. Must have the Precious. They stole it from us. Sneaky, little Jellicles. Wicked, tricksy, and false."

Munkustrap shocked his head and said, "No. Not master."

"Yes, Precious. False. They will cheat you, hurt you. Lie."

"Master's my friends."

"You don't have any friends. Nobody likes you."

Munkustrap covered his ears. "Not listening. I'm not listening."

"You're a liar and a thief."

"No."

"Murderer."

Munkustrap sniffed. "Go away."

"'Go Away'?" Gollum said mockingly and laughed.

"I hate you. I hate you."

"Where would you be without me? Gollum. Gollum. I saved us. It was me. We survived because of me."

"Not anymore."

Gollum stared in shocked. "What did you say?"

"Master looks after us now. We don't need you."

"What?"

"Leave now... and never come back."

"No."

"Leave now and never come back."

Gollum growls and bears his teeth.

"Leave now and never come back!"

There is silence and no response from Gollum. Munkustrap looked around to be sure that he was gone.

"We... we told him to go away. And away he goes, Precious. Gone! Gone! Gone!" He began to jump and leap about. "Munkustrap is free!" He then quieted. "Shh, we must not wake the master. Master needs her rest."


	7. Chapter 7

The next day, Demeter laid down to rest as Bomba looked over the edge of cliff. Munkustrap came in and dropped two dead rabbits in Demeter's lap. She was surprised by this.

"Look," he said. "Look. See what Munkustrap finds?" He then began to do some kind of dance.

Demeter smiled and Bomba sighed. Munkustrap picks a rabbit up and snaps its spine, making Demeter flinch a little.

"They are young. They are tender. They are nice. Yes, they are. Eat them. Eat them!" He began to rip into the rabbit with his teeth.

"You make her sick, you will," Bomba said pulling the rabbit from him. "Behaving like that. There's only one way to eat a brace of coneys."

Minutes later, Bomba was cooking the rabbits in a pot of stew. Munkustrap wails in disgust by this.

"What's it doing? Stupid, fat Jellicle! It ruins it."

"What's to ruin?" Bomba asked. "There was hardly any meat on them. Also, how do I look fat to you? What we need is a few good taters."

"What's taters, Precious? What's taters, eh?"

"Po-ta-toes. You know, you boil them, mash them, and stick them in the stew. Lovely, big, golden chips with a nice piece of fried fish."

Munkustrap stuck his tongue out and spat.

"Even you couldn't say no to that."

"Oh, yes we could. Spoiling nice fish. Give it to us raw and wriggling. You keep nasty chips."

"You're hopeless." She then noticed Demeter was around. "Dee! Dee, where'd you go?"

Demeter, who had wondered a few yards after hearing some bird call, crawled to an edge and saw a massive host of Men. Bomba and Munkustrap found her and laid down at the edge.

"Who are they?" Bomba asked.

"Wicked Men," Munkustrap said. "Servants of Sauron. They are called to Mordor. The Dark One is gathering all armies to him. It won't be long now. He will soon be ready."

"Ready for what?"

"To make his war. The last war that will cover the world in a second age of darkness."

"We've got to get moving," Demeter said. "Come on, Bomba."

"Wait, look," Bomba said as massive elephant-like creatures appeared. "It's an oliphaunt. No one at home is going to believe this."

Demeter heard the bird call and noticed Munkustrap was gone. They saw arrows flying into the army and one of the oliphaunts charging toward them. Before moving, the oliphaunt turned again and one of the Men fell to the ground, dead.

"We've been here too long," Demeter said. "We must leave. Come on, Bomba."

As she ran, she rammed into a hooded figure and it grabbed her. Bomba tried to stop it, but another figure sent her on the ground and pointed an arrow at her.

"Wait!" Bomba shouted. "We're innocent travelers."

"There are no travelers here," said one of the Men. "Only servants of the Dark Tower."

"We are bound to a mission of secrecy," Demeter said. "Those who oppose the enemy need not to oppose us."

"The enemy? His sense of duty was no less than yours, it would seem." He turned the body of the dead man and stared at it coldly. "I wonder what his name was, where he came from, and if he was really evil at heart. It would have been better to stay at home than go follow lies that lead him here." He whispered something to the body, turned, and said, "Bind their heads."

***

There is a distance of four hundred and forty-one miles between Vienna and Warsaw. It would take over two weeks before they reached Warsaw.

"It's true," Tugger said as he spoke with Cassandra while on horse back. "You don't see many Dwarf women. And in fact, they are so alike in voice and appearance, that they're often confused for Dwarf men. This, in turn, has given rise to the belief that there aren't any Dwarf women and that the Dwarves just spring out of holes in the ground. That, of course, is just ridiculous." His horse galloped, throwing him to the ground, but he quickly got on his feet. "I'm alright. Nobody panic. That was deliberate."

Cassandra smiled.

"I haven't seen my niece smile for a long time," Nicholas said to Kyle, who watched the whole thing play out. "She was a girl when they brought back her father dead. Cut down by Orcs. She watched her mother succumb to grief. Then she was left alone, to tend her king in growing fear. Doomed to wait upon an old man who should've have loved her as a father."

When they stopped to rest, Cassandra offers some stew that she made to Kyle as he cleaned his pistol.

"Thank you," he said. He tasted it and grunted. "It's good."

"Really?" Cassandra asked.

She turned to leave and Kyle was about to pour the stew on the ground, but stopped when she spoke again.

"My uncle told me a strange thing. He said that you rode to war with Alexander, my grandfather. But he must be mistaken."

"King Nicholas has a good memory. I was only a small child at the time."

"Then you must be sixty."

Kyle looked a little embarrassed.

"Seventy?"

No reply.

"But you cannot be eighty!"

"I'll be eighty-eight in September."

"You are one of the Dunedain. A descendent of Numenor, blessed with long life. It was said your race had passed into legend."

"There are few of us left, of which my father was directly part of them. What few survived the destruction of the old kingdom in Scandinavia fled to the Westlands."

"I'm sorry. Please, eat."

Kyle nodded and continued, with Cassandra watching him.

"Who is she?" Cassandra asked.

"Who do ask about?" Kyle asked in response.

"The woman who gave you that necklace."

Kyle noticed the Evenstar hanging out of his shirt and sighed. "She is a Elven-Jellicle. Her name is Jemima. She is to take a ship to the Westlands and spend the remaining of her days there with her people."

***

When they were but a few miles away from Warsaw, a patrol was attack by a Orc on a massive beast, who was quickly killed by Alonzo.

"A scout!" Alonzo shouted to Kyle.

Kyle headed down the hill and approached Nicholas. "We're under attack!"

Alonzo went ahead and saw a whole band of Orcs on beast running through the snow from a hill. He shot a few before the Prussian cavalry arrived. He grabbed the strapping around Tugger's horse and swung onto the horse's back. As the rammed into the Orcs, Tugger slipped off and came eye to eye on a beast feeding on a corpse.

"Bring your face to my axe," he said, readying his weapon.

As the beast charged, Alonzo fired and killed it.

"That one counts as mine!" Tugger shouted.

Another beast charged him, but he kills it and it lands on top of him.

"Oh, my, these things stink."

He tries to lift it, but an Orc appears. Tugger quickly snapped its neck and it laid on top, adding more weight. He tries to lift it again, but another beast appears and Tugger's eyes widen. Before it made the killing blow, a spear hit the beast and it landed on top of the heap. Tugger began to gasp for air. He lifted the heap up and quickly changed into a huge lion with a massive mane. He roared like the sound of thunder and just the mere sight of him caused the remaining Orcs to flee the battle.

Nicholas watched the Orcs retreat and looked over the battlefield, seeing the dead whose blood stained the snow-covered hills.

"Caol!" Alonzo shouted, realizing that Kyle was nowhere to be seen.

"Kyle!" Tugger shouted, getting no reply. He sees a dying Orc near a cliff, laughing. "Tell me where the Ranger is and I'll spare you the pain."

"He's... dead," the Orc said. "He took a little tumble off the cliff."

"You lie," Alonzo said.

The Orc dies and Alonzo noticed something in its hand. The Evenstar. Worried, he heads to the cliff and sees nothing but an icy, beep blue river at the bottom.

"Get the wounded on horses," Nicholas commands a soldier. "The wolves of Isengard will return. Leave the dead."

Alonzo turns as Nicholas rides off.

"Come on," Tugger said, placing a hand on Alonzo's shoulder. "He may still be alive. And if he is, he'll find his way to Warsaw."

Alonzo silently nods.

***

Reaching Warsaw, Nicholas immediately looks over the fortress. He orders the women, child, and those too weak to fight into the caves.

Tugger approaches Cassandra. "My lady."

"Lord O'Connell," she said. "Where is he?"

Tugger sniffed. "He fell."

Cassandra stands in shock as a tear fell down from her eyes.

***

_Isengard_

"There is one weak point in the wall of Warsaw," Sillabub told Macavity. "A drain in the wall in case of heavy rain. Get through that and Warsaw will fall."

Macavity prepared his most powerful weapon: a large, black globe, filled to the brim with black powder.

"How could such a device bring down the wall?" Sillabub asked, holding a candlestick in one hand.

Macavity grabbed her hand, as a warning to not bring the candlestick any closer.

"If the wall is breached, Warsaw will fall," Macavity said.

"Yes, but even so, it would take thousands of Orcs to storm the fortress."

"Tens of thousands."

"But, my lord, there is no such force."

"Then do pray tell me what this is?"

On the fields of Isengard, a legion of the new breed Orc, named the Uruk-hai, salute Macavity.

"A new power is rising," Macavity's voice echoed through Isengard. "It's victory is at hand. This night, the land will be stained with the blood of Prussia. March to Warsaw and leave none alive. TO WAR!" Turning to Sillabub, he said, "There will be no dawn for Men."

***

Just a few miles away inside the Black Forest, Treebeard walked through the woods with Jerrie and Teazer on top of him. When they reached a high altitude, Teazer noticed something in the air.

"Look, smoke," she said. "Where is that from?"

"It's Isengard," Treebeard replied. "Macavity used to come into these woods, but now he has a mind for iron and blood."

Jerrie noticed a massive host in the distance outside of Isengard.

"It's Macavity's army," Jerrie said. "The war has started."

***

Kyle felt the water carry him down the river. He should be feeling cold, as the winter had no end at sight yet, but he felt strangely warm. He felt himself leave his body a few time, only to come back. He felt the bank of the river beneath his back. He thought he felt the lips of someone on his. When he opened his eyes, he saw nothing but the cloudy skies and a mild snow fall around him.

"May the grace of Yahweh protect you," a voice spoke to him.

Jemima.

When he dozed off, he felt something pushing him. He heard snorting.

"Brego?" Kyle moaned. "Why are you here?"

The horse got down on its knees and Kyle got on top of it.

"Take me to Warsaw," he spoke in Elvish.

The horse galloped off.


	8. Chapter 8

_Rivendell_

"Jemima," Elrond said, waking Jemima from her sleep. "It is time. The ships are leaving for the Westlands. Go now... before it is too late."

"I have made my choice," she said.

"He is not coming back. Why linger when there is no hope?"

"There is still hope."

"If Caol survives this war, you both would still be parted. If Sauron is defeated and Caol is made king and all that you hope for comes to past, you will still taste the flavor of mortality. Whether by the sword or the slow decay of time, Caol will die and there will be no comfort for you, no comfort to ease the pain of his passing. He will come to death, an image of the splendor of the kings of Men, in glory, undimmed before the breaking of the world. But you, my daughter; you will linger on in darkness and in doubt, as nightfall winter comes without a star. Here you will dwell, bound to your grief and under the fading trees, until the world is changed and the long days of your life are utterly spent." He turned to see Jemima's eyes filled with tears. "Jemima, there is nothing for you here. Only death." He sat next to her. "Do I not also have your love?"

"You have my love, father," her voice broke as she cried.

After Jemima left for the coast, Elrond felt like someone was nearby him, speaking to him.

_Victoria, lady of light._

"The power of the enemy is growing," her voice spoke to him. "Sauron will use his puppet, Macavity, to destroy the people of Prussia. Isengard has been unleashed. The Eye of Sauron now turns to Rome to prepare his invasion of Britain, the last free kingdom of Europe. His war on this continent will come swiftly. He senses the Ring is close. The strength of the Ring-bearer is failing. In her heart, Demeter begins to understand: the quest will claim her life. You know this. You have foreseen it. It is the risk we all took. In the shadow of darkness, the will of the Ring grows strong. It works hard now to return into the hands of Men. Men so easily seduced by its power. The young captain of Rome has but one chance to put forth his hand, take the Ring for himself, and the world will fall. It is close now, so close to achieving its goal. For Sauron will have dominion over all life, even to the ending of the world. The time of the Elves is over. Do we live the world to its fate? Do we let them stand alone?"

Elrond had no words to say. Only things to meditate on.

***

_Somewhere in the Italian Countryside_

Demeter felt the bind over her eyes being taken off. She and Bomba stood in the middle of a cave as men walked about them, like they didn't notice their presence. She saw the man who captured them approach.

"My men tell me that you are Orc spies," he said.

"Spies?" Bomba said. "Now, hold on a minute-"

"Well, if you aren't spies, then who are you? And be quick about it."

"We are Jellicles from England," Demeter said. "Demeter Asparagus is my name and this is Bombalurina."

"Is she your master?" the man asked Bomba.

"She's my baby sister," Bomba replied.

"And where is your scouting friend? That little friend of yours with an ill look about him."

"There was no other," Demeter lied. "We set out from Rivendell with seven companions. One we lost in Moria. Two were our kin. There was an Elven-Jellicle, a Dwarf-Jellicle, and two Men: Caol Augustus O'Connell of the Westlands and Richard Wheeler of Rome."

"You're a friend of Richard?"

"Yes, from my part."

"It will grieve you then to learn that he is died."

"Died? How? W-When?"

"If you were one of his companions, I would think you'd tell me."

"If something has happened to Richard Wheeler, I'd have you tell us."

"His horn swept upon the chore, six days had past after. It was cut clean in two. But more than this, in my heart. He was my step-brother."

Demeter's eyes widen. "Who are you?"

"My name is Francis Cromwell, son of Samuel Cromwell, Lord of Rome and Steward of Britain, who loved Richard as his son and I too as a brother."

***

Later that night, Demeter was awoken from her sleep by Cromwell.

"Come with me," he said.

He led her to a cliff next to a waterfall. He gestured for her to look down and she saw Munkustrap briefly at the bottom before he dived under the water below.

"To enter the Forbidden Pool bears the penalty of death," he said.

Demeter then heard bushes being brushed against and noticed archers pointing at the pool

"They wait my command. Shall I shoot?"

Munkustrap hops out of the pool with a fish in one hand and began to sing. "The rock and pool, Is nice and cool, So juicy sweet. Our only wish, To catch a fish, So juicy sweet." The fish tries to wiggle out of his hands and he slaps it on a rock.

"Wait!" Demeter said. "This creature is bound to me. And I to him."

"You don't mean-"

"No, he's our guide, is all. Please, withdraw your men and let me go down to him."

Cromwell nodded and waved his men down. Demeter made her way down to Munkustrap.

"Munkustrap," she said. "Master is here. Come with me, Munkustrap, please. Quickly."

"We must go now?" he asked.

"Munkustrap, please, it's a matter of your life. Please, trust me. Let me save you."

Munkustrap put the fish in his mouth and took Demeter's hand as she pulled him to her. They heard a branch snap and men jump out, grabbing each of them.

"No, let him alone," Demeter shouted. "Munkustrap, hear me."

"Demeter!" he shouted.

"You-you said my name," she whispered in shock.

The men covered Munkustrap's face and carried him away. Once back in the cave, the men throw him onto the ground and pushed him around.

"That's enough," Cromwell ordered.

Munkustrap curled up in a corner, looking away from the men.

"Where are you taking them? Answer me."

"Munkustrap," he said singly. It was Gollum. "Why does it cry, Munkustrap?"

"Cruel men hurts us," he said. "Master tried to save us."

"No, she was tricksy, as I told you. She is false."

"Master is our friend. Our friend."

"Master betrayed us."

"No. Not its business. Leave us alone."

Gollum pounded on the rocks. "Filthy, little Jellicles! They stole it from us!"

"No. No."

"Oh, but they did," a third voice said. "They stole it from us."

"Who's this?" Munkustrap asked.

"A new friend," Gollum said. "One who will silence you for good."

"No. No."

"What did they steal?" Cromwell asked.

"My Precious!" Gollum said, growling back.

***

Cromwell approached Demeter and pulled out his sword. Demeter backed to a wall in fear.

"So, this is the answer to all the riddles," he said as he got closer. "Here, in the wild, I have you: two Jellicles and a host of Men at my call, with the Ring of Power within my grasp." He used the tip of his weapon to pull the Ring out of Demeter's shirt. "A chance for Francis Cromwell, captain of Rome, to show his quality."

"NO!" Demeter shouted, pushing the sword away and running into the corner.

"Stop it!" Bomba exclaimed. "Leave her alone. You need to understand: she's going to destroy it. That's our destination: Mordor, to the mountain of Vesuvius."

A soldier entered and whispered to Cromwell. "Latina is under attack. They call for reinforcements."

"Please, it's such a burden," Bomba continued. "Will you not help her?"

"Prepare to leave," Cromwell told the soldier and turned back to Bomba. "The Ring will go to Rome."


	9. Chapter 9

Kyle rode on Brego all the way to Warsaw. As he headed there, he saw the army of Isengard from a hill and hurried to Warsaw.

When he entered, he could hear Tugger shouting. "Let him see him. Imma going to kill him." When he saw Kyle, he smiled. "You, sir, are the most luckiest, cunningest, and reckless man ever meet." He pulled Kyle to him and gave him a bear hug. "Bless you, laddie."

"Tugger, where is the king?" Kyle asked.

"The main hall."

As he headed to Nicholas, Alonzo approached him.

"You're late," he said. He looked Kyle over. "You look terrible."

Kyle smiled.

"I think this is yours," Alonzo said as he gave the Evenstar to Kyle.

Kyle entered the hall and told Nicholas about the army he saw.

"A great host, you say," Nicholas said.

"All of Isengard is emptied," Kyle said.

"How many?"

"Ten thousand strong, at least."

"Ten thousand?"

"It is an army bred for one purpose: to destroy the world of Men. Once the sun has set, it will only a matter of time before they come."

"So let them come!"

***

"Have ever man and boy armed for battle," Nicholas told a commander. "We must be ready by nightfall." He began to oversee the bordering up of the gate. "They will come up the ramp to the main gate here. No army has ever past the floor wall or step one foot in the fortress."

"This isn't an army of mindless Orcs," Tugger said. "This are special elite forces; their armor is thick and their shields are broad."

"I have fought many battles before, Master Tugger. I know how to defend my own fortress."

Nicholas went and observed the main wall.

"They will break upon this fortress like water on rock. Macavity's forces will pillage and burn. I've seen it before. Crop can be resewn, homes rebuilt. Within these walls, we will outlast them."

"They don't come to destroy crops or villages," Kyle said. "They come to destroy Prussia's people, down to the very last child."

"Then what would you have me do? Look at my men; their courage hangs by a thread. If this is to be our end, then I would have them make such an end to be worthy of remembrance before the Eyes of Yahweh."

"Send out riders, at least. You must call for aid."

"And who will come? Elves? Dwarves? Men of the Eastlands? We're not so lucky in our friends as you. The old alliances are dead."

"Britain will answer."

"Britain? Where was Britain when Frederick the Tyrant ruled these lands? Where was Britain when Rome conquered them without a shed of blood? Where was Bri-" He stopped and sighed. "No, my Lord O'Connell. We are alone here." He turned to a commander. "Get the women and children in the caves."

"My lord, we need more time to-"

"There is no more time. War is upon us."

***

As the sun began to set, men and boys of Prussia prepared for war. Kyle looked over the weapons and was disgust by the lack of evolving past the old ways and embracing what the modern times gave man.

"Farmers, traders, stable-boys," Kyle said. "This isn't a real army."

"Most have seen to many winters, long and cold," Tugger said.

"Or too few," Alonzo added. "Look at them. They're afraid. I see it in their eyes."

Everyone turned to Alonzo, revealing he must have said that too loud.

"And they should be," Alonzo continued. "Three hundred men against ten thousand elite Orcs."

"They have more hope of defending themselves here than at Vienna," Kyle said.

"Caol, they cannot win this fight. They will all going to die!"

"Then I'll die as one of them! And my name is Kyle!" He walked away.

Alonzo tried to follow, but Tugger stopped him. "Let him go, lad. Let him be."

***

Later, Kyle checked his weapons and armed himself. As he went for his sword, he noticed Alonzo holding it for him.

"You have led us this far and not once led us astray," he said. "Forgive me. I was wrong to despair."

Kyle took his sword. "There is nothing to forgive, Alonzo."

A horn sang in the valley.

"That's not Orc call," Alonzo said.

He and Kyle headed to the gate and saw a host of Elves enter.

"How is this possible?" Nicholas asked.

"I bring word from Elrond of Rivendell," said the Elf commander. "An alliance once existed between Elves and Men. Long ago, we fought and died together. We come to honor that allegiance. We are proud to fight along side Men once more."

***

Moments later, with the Men and Elves readied on the walls of Warsaw, the legion of Orcs, plus four thousand, had arrived. Lightning flashed and the thunder roared in the sky and air.

"What day is it?" Alonzo asked.

"The ninth of April," Kyle replied.

"Spring isn't far away now. The last snow storm of winter is upon us."

"Let's hope that we live to see spring when it comes," Tugger said.

When the thunder roared again, Nicholas sighed seeing the snow fall, slowly at first and then fast just seconds later. He knew the snow will be a problem for the archers, who would be shooting blindly into the snow.

The Orc army stopped just thirty yards from the wall.

"Show them no mercy," Kyle said in Elvish. "For you shall receive none!"

The Orcs began to roar, ponding the ground with their spears and chest with their fist. Suddenly, an arrow flew down from the wall and killed an Orc. The Orcs were silent for a moment and roared. They charged at the wall.

"It has begun," Nicholas whispered to himself.

"Prepare to fire," Kyle ordered.

The Elves readied they're bows and Kyle readied his rifle.

"Their armor is weak at the neck and beneath the arms," Alonzo said.

"Release arrows!"

The arrows began to fly at the Orcs.

"Give them a volley," Nicholas ordered.

"Fire!" a Prussian commander shouted.

More arrows flew.

Once they got close, the Orcs fired crossbows at them. Orcs broke through the line and began to bring up ladders. The first Orc up was cut down by Tugger's ax. Tugger then slide under another's feet and killed him.

"Hey, Alonzo," he shouted. "I got two so far. How about you?"

"I'm on seventeen," he said

"What? You think just because you had a head start that I should forget it?"

The Orcs began to send in the bombs and placed them under the sewage system. They lit the line and two minute later, the bombs exploded and parts of the wall went flying in all directions.

Nicholas stood where he was in utter shock.


	10. Chapter 10

In the Black Forest, Treebeard called a gathering of other Ents at the heart of the forest to decide if they should go to war against Isengard, which seemed to go on as it started in the daytime and it was now dead in the night.

"Jerrie," Teazer said as Treebeard approached them.

"We have just agreed," Treebeard said and then went silent.

"Agreed on what?" Jerrie asked.

"I have given your names to my fellow Ents and we have agreed: you are not Orcs."

"Well, that's good news," Teazer said.

"And what about Macavity?" Jerrie asked. "Have you come to a decision about him?"

"Now, don't be hasty, Master Jerrie," Treebeard said.

"Hasty? Our friends are out there. They need our help. They cannot fight this war on their own."

"War, yes, it effects us all. But you must understand, young Jellicle, it takes time to say anything in the language of the Ents. So, please, be patient. We will get back to you soon on the matter."

Some time past before the Ents came to a decision.

"The Ents cannot hold back this storm," Treebeard said. "We must weather this things as we have done."

"How can that be your decision?" Jerrie asked.

"This is not our war."

"But you are part of this world. Aren't you?"

The Ents wondered at this, unsure what to say.

"You must help. Please! You must do something."

"You are young and brave, Master Jerrie, but your part in this tale is over. Go back to your home."

***

Treebeard marched through the forest heading west to France, with Jerrie and Teazer on top of him.

"Stop a second," Teazer said. "Stop!"

Treebeard stopped.

"Turn around. Take us north."

"North?" Treebeard asked. "But that would lead you past Isengard."

"Yes, but if we head west, he will expect it, unless we head north, he won't notice it. The closer we are from harm, the further we are from danger. That's the last thing he'll expect."

"That doesn't make much sense, but you are small brained after all. Maybe you're right in a way. Okay, north it is. Hold on. I always liked going north. Moving away from the Alps always feels like going down hill."

"Are you crazy, T?" Jerrie whispered. "We'll be caught."

"No, we won't," Teazer said. "Not this time."

An hour later, they came to the edge of the forest. Or at least, the new edge of the forest. Surrounding them were the remains of tree that had been torn down from the roots.

"Many of these trees were my friends," Treebeard said. "Creatures I've known for centuries."

"I'm sorry, Treebeard," Teazer said.

"Each had a unique voice of their own." Treebeard noticed something in the distance. "Macavity. That damn wizard should've known better."

He let out a loud and long shout that echoed through the Black Forest.

"There is no curse in Elvish, Ent, or the tongues of Men for this monstrosity. Therefore, my battle is with Isengard tonight, with the rock and stone."

A rumbling was heard form the woods as an army of Ents marched out and headed for Isengard.

"Come, come, my friends," Treebeard said. "We are going to war. It maybe our doom that awaits us. The last march of the Ents."

***

_Latina, Providence of Rome_

Cromwell brought Demeter and Bomba with him to Latina during a siege of the city. This was the last defense between Mordor and Rome. If it fail, Rome would be defenseless.

"Captain Cromwell," said a Roman commander. "Orcs have taken the eastern shore. There numbers are to great. If we are lucky, we might be able to hold them off until tomorrow.

"Dee, are you okay?" Bomba asked.

"It's calling to him, Bomba," Demeter said. "His eye is almost on me."

"Just hold on. You'll be all right."

"Take them to my father," Cromwell ordered. "Tell him that Francis Cromwell sends him a mighty gift. A weapon to change our fortune in this war."

"Hey, you still want to know what happened to Wheeler?" Bomba asked.

Cromwell turned to her.

"You want to know why your brother died? He take the Ring from Demeter, even after swearing an oath to protect her. He tried to kill her. The Ring drove your brother mad."

She soon noticed Demeter appeared to be in some sort of trance.

"Dee, you okay?"

"They're here," Demeter said. "They've come."

A screeching sound echoed through Latina.

"Nazgul!" Cromwell shouted. He took Demeter and Bomba to a safe area, where the Wraith couldn't get them. "Stay here. Stay out of sight."


	11. Chapter 11

Back at Warsaw, things went from bad to worst as the Orcs soon gain ground in the fortress, forcing the Prussians and Elves into the main hall. They thought of sending the women and children through a passage that went into the mountain, but Kyle insisted that they ride out and face the enemy on horse back. He came to this conclusion when he was told that the sun was rising and he remembered what Mistoffolees told him back in Vienna: to look for his coming on the fifth day at dawn and to look to the east.

Nicholas ordered the charge on horseback, leading the charge himself despite his injures from when they were protecting the main gate. They charged through the Orcs until they reached the end of the ramp.

Kyle looked back at the east and saw Mistoffolees on top of a hill and Gregory's forces with him. He had brought help like he promised. They charged head on and pushed back the Orcs, who soon retreated into a forest that had appeared there. Suddenly, the trees began to move the screeching of the Orcs could be heard by the Prussians and Elves.

Later, Alonzo and Tugger went over their final kill count.

"I counted forty-two for me," Alonzo said.

"Not bad for an Elf," Tugger said. "Though I got forty-three."

Alonzo quickly shot an arrow into the Orc Tugger sat on. "Forty-three."

"This one's died already."

"He was twitching."

"Only because my axe is embedded into his nerves system."

***

In Isengard, the Ents invaded and soon flooded the grounds of Macavity's tower. There was no way for Macavity to escape now, especially after the water turned to ice so thick that the Ents could stand on the ice without braking through it.

"Well, he doesn't look too happy, does he?" Jerrie asked.

"Not too happy at all," Teazer replied.

"Still, I suppose the view would be quite nice from up there."

"Oh, yes. It is a quality establishment. I hear the staff are very good."

"The world's back to normal, is all."

"No, it isn't. I'm starving."

"Good luck trying to find something decent around here. Probably dead rats and moldy bread."

They began to look around the area and found Macavity's storeroom.

"I don't believe it," Teazer said as she stared at some barrels.

"It can't be," Jerrie said.

They opened them up and found leaves inside them.

"It is."

"Longbottom leaf." Jerrie breathed it in. "The finest pipe-weed in all of England."

"It's perfect. Two barrels means one for each of us. Wait a minute! Do you think we should share it with Treebeard?"

"Share it? No. No. Dead plant and all that. Don't think he'd understand. Could be a distant relative."

"Oh, I get it. Don't be hasty."

"Exactly."

***

In Latina, Demeter walked off from where she hid and the Wraith found her. She held the Ring out and was about to put it on, but Bomba stopped her and pulled her away before the Wraith grabbed her. Cromwell shot a rifle at the Wraith's beast and it flew away.

Bomba and Demeter slipped and fell. Demeter pulled out Sting and pointed at her sister.

"Dee, it's Bomba," she said. "Don't you remember your own sister?"

Demeter fell back and dropped Sting. "I can't do this, Bomba."

"I know. It's all wrong. By God, we shouldn't even be here, yet here we are. It's like in the great stories, Dee. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. Sometimes, you might not want to know the end. Because how could the ending be happy? How could the world return to what it was before the bad happened? But in the end, it's is but a passing thing. Shadow, even darkness, must pass. A day will come and when the sun shines, it will shine out clearer than ever before. Those are the stories that stay with you and mean something, even if you're too young to understand why. But I think I understand now, Dee. I know now. Folks in those stories had chances to turn around and give up, but didn't. They kept going because they were holding on to something."

"And what are we holding on to?"

"That there is still good in this world and that it is worth fighting for."

Cromwell approached them.

"I think we finally understand one another, Demeter Asparagus," he said.

"Captain," a Roman commander said. "You know the laws of the Providence, the laws of your father. If you let them go, your life will be forfeited."

"Then it is forfeited. Come with me. I'll show you a safe way out of Latina."

Cromwell leads Demeter, Bomba, and Gollum through the maze and ruins of Latina. He stops at a tunnel.

"This is the old sewer," he told them. "It runs under the river through to the edge of the city. You'll find cover in the woods there."

"Captain Cromwell," Bomba said. "You have shown your quality, sir. The very highest."

"England must truly be a great realm, where ladies are held in high honor. What road will you take once you reach the woods?"

"Gollum knows there's a path," Demeter explained. "Near Minas Morgal that climbs up into the mountains."

"Cirith Ungol?"

Gollum tried to creep by, but Cromwell grabbed him by the neck and pinned him to the wall.

"Is that the name of your path?"

"No, No," Gollum said.

Cromwell tighten his grip.

"Yes!"

"Demeter, they say a dark terror dwells in the passes above Minas Morgal. You cannot go that way."

"It is the only way. Master says we must go to Mordor, so we must try."

"I must," Demeter said.

Cromwell let go of Gollum. "Go, Demeter. Go with the goodwill of all Men."

"Thank you."

When Demeter and Bomba went in, Cromwell quickly grabbed Gollum again. "May Death find you quickly and swiftly if you bring them to harm." He let go and left.

"Come on," Bomba shouted to Gollum. "Keep up."

Gollum fell to the ground and coughed.

"Hey, don't have any hard feelings for my sister," Bomba said. "She was trying to save you, you know."

"Save me?" Gollum asked.

"No hard feelings?"

"No, no, no hard feelings. Gollum. Gollum. Yes, master. Nice Jellicles."

"Very decent of you. Very decent, indeed, Gollum."

Once in the wilderness, Gollum went far ahead of Demeter and Bomba to talk with the new comer in his mind.

"Who are you, exactly?" Gollum asked. "Tell us."

"I'm the Precious, my friend," it said.

"But master has the Precious."

"Yet, I speak to us now. Hates them, we do. She betrayed us. We must get back us. We must break her filthy little neck. Kill them. Kill them. Kill them both. We take the Precious and we be our own master."

"But the red one, she knows. Always watching, she is."

"Then we stabs them out. Put out her eyes. Make her crawl."

"Yes, yes, yes."

"Kill them both."

"Yes- no, no! It's too risky, it's too risky."

"Let her do it. Take them to her and she does it for us."

"Yes. And then we takes it once they're dead."

"Once they're dead."

"Shhhh."

Gollum stepped out and found the Jellicles.

"Come on, Jellicles. Long ways to go yet. Munkustrap will show you the way. Follow me."

Guided by Gollum, pretending to be Munkustrap, Demeter and Bomba continued their journey to Mordor, which was alive and waiting for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I originally had more from the movie written down, but I pressed something on my laptop and it erased what I had down before I could save it. I decided to do this instead, so that is why this chapter could be seen as rushed.


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